Realtime AI News
Microsoft kills underperforming AI features and merges its separate Copilot apps
Microsoft is simplifying Copilot by combining its consumer and business apps, and dropping AI-generated podcasts, Group Chats, Deep Research and the Mico character, according to TechCrunch. The changes mark a retreat from experimental features toward a unified assistant experience.
Microsoft is killing off several underperforming AI features and merging its previously separate consumer and business Copilot apps into one unified product, TechCrunch reported on August 13.
The features being dropped include AI-generated podcasts, Group Chats, Deep Research and the Mico virtual character — a set of differentiating capabilities Microsoft had layered onto Copilot in recent years.
The report says the move is part of a broader simplification of the Copilot product line: consumer and enterprise users previously faced two different Copilot apps with fragmented experiences, and the merge aims to unify the product.
Among the cut features, Deep Research had been positioned as a serious research capability for Copilot, and AI-generated podcasts were an experiment in turning conversational AI output into audio content; retiring them signals Microsoft is pulling back experimental investment to focus on the core assistant experience.
In the broader picture, the AI assistant race in 2026 is intense, with major vendors constantly redefining their assistant products; frequent feature additions and removals reflect a fast trial-and-error cycle across the category.
For users, the app merge means consumer and business Copilot experiences will converge; for Microsoft, cutting low-usage features lowers maintenance cost and frees resources.
What to watch next: when the merged Copilot app ships, which features survive, and how the changes affect Copilot Pro subscription benefits.
Microsoft has not announced a timeline for the new app, but the pruning suggests AI assistants are moving from feature stacking toward core experience and business efficiency.
Why it matters
Microsoft's Copilot consolidation and feature cuts show the AI assistant race shifting from feature stacking to core experience and commercial efficiency.
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